Improvement in corset-clasps



A. B. CURTIS. Corset-Clasp.

Patented Nov. 11, 1879. J29! 42971 flint ,2, 27325.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTINE B. CURTIS, OF BIRMINGHAM, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO L. KRAUS AND ALLIE B. CURTIS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN COR SET-CLASPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 22l,533, dated November 11, 1879; application filed August '26, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTINE B. CURTIs, of Birmingham, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Corset-Clasps; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a front View of the two parts attached together; Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, detached views.

This invention relates to an improvement in clasps for securing the fronts of corsets together; and it consists in the construction, as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claim.

As represented in the drawings, the two parts form the two front sections of the corset, and may be thus prepared and then attached to the corset; or the corset may be constructed to receive the springs or clasps in pockets formed in the corset itself.

To one edge a spring or steel, A, is attached, provided on its edge with hooks a, more or less in number, which are preferably formed of sheet metal, and riveted to the steel, either before or after the covering may have been placed on the steel, or the steel in the pocket. This pocket is-made with an edge, B, by which this part of the clasp may be attached to one edge of the corset.

The other part of the clasp consists of a plain broad steel, C, arranged in a pocket, and a second narrower steel or spring, D, alsoarranged in a pocket, but independent .of the pocket of the broad steel C. The pockets at the rear edge of the two steels C D are secured together throughout their length, as seen in Fig. 7, leaving the forward edge free and so that it may be turned up from the steel C, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 7, or entire ly over, as seen in Fig. 5, so as to expose the meeting surfaces of the two. These two steels C D are curved into the usual form, as seen in Fig. 2; hence, when lying together, oneupon the other, as seen in Figs. 4 and 7, and secured together at their rear edges, the curvature tends to hold them close one upon the other, because turning the steel D up from the steel C tends to straighten the two, and the reaction of the spring tends to return and hold them together.

On the under side of the steel D eyes or loops 6 are arranged, (see Figs. 5 and 6, and broken lines, Fig. 1,) corresponding to the hooks a on the other part, A, of the clasp; hence if the hooks to on the part A be passed between the two steels C D by the eyes 6, and in line with them, and drawn outward, they will surely engage the eyesand be prevented from disengagement, because of the pressure of the two steels C D one upon the other.

To conveniently introduce the hooks, tabs E are stitched between the two steels C D at the hinging-point, and so as to extend forward beyond the edge of the steel D, as seen in Fig. 1, and so that by lifting or pulling the said tabs outward the steel D will be turned upward, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 7. Then, when the hooks to are properly arranged, the steel D may be left free to return to its position and engage the hooks; but the rounded end of the hooks will readily pass the edges by simply pressing them between the two steels C D To disengage the hooks, however, it is necessary to raise the steel D, and for this purpose the tabs E may be used.

The two parts C D are arranged in pockets with a projecting edge, F, which may be used as a means for securing the clasp to the edge of the corset, the same on the part A.

I do not broadly claim the combination, in a corset-clasp, of a broad and narrow steel, forming one part, and a narrower steel forming the other part to overlap the projecting parts of the broad steel, as such I am aware is not new.

What I do claim is A corset-clasp consisting of the two curved steels or springs C D, arranged in pockets, stitched together at their rear edge to form a hinge between the two, the spring D, provided. with eyes 0 on its surface next the spring C, combined with the spring A, provided with hooks a, corresponding to the eyes a on the spring D, substantially as described.

AUGUSTINE B. CURTIS.

Witnesses JOHN E. EARLE, Jos. C. EARLE. 

